Why N60bn Bayelsa Airport Is Yet To Commence Flight Operations –NCAA

Recall that the airport was opened for flight operations earlier in the year with fanfare but since the inaugural flight landed, the airport had remained shut to flight services.

by SaharaReporters, New YorkDec 02, 2019

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has said that the inability of the Bayelsa State Government to fully fence the recently commissioned Bayelsa Airport was responsible for its non-certification by the authority.

Recall that the airport was opened for flight operations earlier in the year with fanfare but since the inaugural flight landed, the airport had remained shut to flight services.

The Bayelsa Government had said in February that it cost it about N60bn to construct the airport and promised to change the face of airport operations with its opening.

But Acting Director General of NCAA, Capt. Abdullahi Sidi, told journalists on Monday that apart from the perimeter fencing, the aerodrome was good for flight operations.

He however, said that until the perimeter fencing were adequately erected by the government, the regulatory authority would not give it certification to commence operations, adding that security would not be compromised by the agency.

He insisted that the non-approval was not political but purely for reasons.

He said, “After I did my own investigation, perimeter fencing was number one requirement for airports safety, when I asked the Bayelsa Government, they said they had not finished the perimeter fencing, they had done 60-80 per cent but that is not acceptable.

"So, perimeter fencing is what is remaining for Bayelsa Airport, there is no politics about it, it is a requirement based on safety."

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